As time goes on, our bodies invariably change, but it’s hard when those changes are outside of our control.
Bristol mum Danielle Moore, 34, embraced life-altering surgery with an elective double mastectomy and faced cruel trolling, with some even saying she “looked like a boy”. In an act of defiance and empowerment last year, Danielle showed that sexiness isn’t confined to image.
She made her statement by toplessly gracing Page 3, an experience she cherishes highly. Danielle fronted a campaign led by Erika Lust, a trailblazer for sex positive adult cinema.
“One More Page 3” aspired to be “the most inspirational and empowering Page 3 shoot of all time”, with Danielle in the spotlight. The Bristol mum is on a mission to spark more discussions about body positivity and to normalise dialogue concerning “different” bodies.
Documenting her story as The Boob Battle on Instagram, Danielle has rallied more than 20,000 followers. Her platform is a testament to her pride in her body as she shares experiences, offers insights and documents her day-to-day life.
When questioned about her experience participating in Erika Lust’s campaign, Danielle shared: “It was a great campaign for helping raise awareness of breast cancer, but also in showing body diversity, which is such an important message. It really gave me a new level of confidence.”
Since that time, Danielle has focused on addressing the emotional aftermath of cancer. She has sought therapy and prioritised her mental health over the past year, while also ensuring she spends ample time with her family to create new memories.
She admits the path to body acceptance is “hard and ongoing”, as it requires significant processing. When someone doesn’t choose such a drastic change, it takes time to adjust, but each day becomes slightly easier.
Danielle now utilises her platform to assist herself and others in understanding that life encompasses more than physical appearance, and that being different is entirely acceptable.
“I’ve accepted that it is what it is and I can’t change it, which helps with the process,” she further commented. “My scars are a big part of me, and something you don’t often see on social media, as it’s usually a platform for showing just the ‘perfectly good bits of people’.
“I hope by showing it takes away the fear of cancer and also helps people not get sucked into the trap of feeling like you need to be perfect to be worthy.”
Danielle conceded that her online experience is a “mixed bag,” with some negative comments from “closed minded people”, but generally, she feels well-supported by the wider community.
She’s thanked by individuals who appreciate reminders that the world is filled with diversity and not everyone fits a “perfect” appearance. October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, prompting Danielle to urge all women to be vigilant about self-examination.
Diagnosed at 30 with stage three breast cancer, which spread to her lymph nodes, it was while breastfeeding in November 2020 that Danielle first felt a lump. Initially, she dismissed its significance.
She stressed: “Check yourself regularly, to know your normal, so that if anything does change you can get to the GP. You aren’t checking for cancer, you are simply being in check with your own body to know what’s normal for you.
“There are lots of obvious signs and symptoms such as a lump, nipple discharge, dimpling of the skin. However, there may also be some not so obvious changes.
“That’s why it’s important to feel yourself regularly, so that you are familiar with how your body looks and feels.”